The present invention is directed toward an apparatus and method for securing a disk drive to a computer chassis.
A conventional mounting device for a disk drive such as a hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, or CD-ROM drive in a computer chassis includes a drive cage or, more generically, a bracket. The bracket provides a means of connection to the disk drive as well as a means of connection to the chassis. A typical arrangement is to employ screws to connect a disk drive to the bracket. The bracket is in turn connected to the chassis by screws or the like, or may be made from a portion of common material with the chassis. The primary disadvantage of conventional devices is that screws must be used to connect the disk drive to the chassis. Insertion and removal of screws is time consuming and cumbersome due to the workspace restrictions and accessibility limitations existing within a typical chassis. Consequently, it is difficult to quickly remove a disk drive from a conventional mounting device, or to quickly install a disk drive in a conventional mounting device.
Another goal of a disk drive mounting device is to provide a low profile bracket that consumes as little volume as possible within a computer chassis. A bracket that accepts a drive in sliding engagement is adept in this regard since the profile of the bracket may be only slightly larger than the outer dimension of the disk drive held in the bracket. This is in contrast to a mechanism that operates by opening about a hinge or pivoting about a point to accept or capture a disk drive. A significant drawback of conventional devices is that the devices do not provide for sliding engagement directly between a disk drive and the bracket. Conventional devices instead include a special jacket that mounts to the disk drive with conventional screws. These conventional mounting devices, therefore, do not avoid the use of screws. The jacket carrying the disk drive in turn slides to engage with the bracket of the mounting device. Although the disk drive and jacket may be easily slid into and out of the chassis, the jacket must still be removed from the disk drive before the disk drive may be serviced or replaced. In a manufacturing setting, the jacket adds another part to be supplied and assembled, and the means of connecting the jacket to a disk drive is through the slow and inefficient use of conventional screws.
The prior art fails to provide a low profile disk drive mounting device that may be assembled without screws or other conventional fasteners and the requisite tools to deploy the fasteners. An improved apparatus would not require the use of screws or other conventional fasteners. An improved apparatus would, consequently, not only be easier to operate, but would also enable quick operation. An improved apparatus would provide a low profile bracket that did not require larger than necessary volume within the computer chassis. Additionally, an improved apparatus would provide a secure connection between a disk drive and a computer chassis.
One embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for mounting a disk drive to a chassis where the apparatus has a bracket with a deformable element for engaging the disk drive. The apparatus also has a slide member slidably coupled to the bracket. The slide member has a surface for forcing the deformable element against the disk drive to secure the disk drive in the bracket. In an embodiment of the invention, the deformable element includes a tongue with a connecting end. The tongue is coupled to the bracket at the connecting end of the tongue.
Another embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for mounting a disk drive to a chassis with a bracket for supporting the disk drive in a first direction. Additionally, there is a slide member slidably coupled to the bracket such that sliding the slide member in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction supports the disk drive in the second direction and in a third direction opposite the second direction. By sliding the slide member in the third direction, the disk drive is released in the second direction and in the third direction.
Another embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for mounting a disk drive to a chassis with a bracket for supporting the disk drive in a first direction. The apparatus also has a slide member slidably coupled to the bracket such that sliding of the slide member in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction causes the disk drive to be fixed in the bracket. Sliding of the slide member in a third direction opposite the second direction releases the fixed attachment of the disk drive from the bracket.
Yet another embodiment of the invention is a computer system having an apparatus for mounting a disk drive where the system has a chassis having a front, a bezel coupled to the front of the chassis, a power supply coupled to the chassis, a central processing unit coupled to the chassis and electrically connected to the power supply, and a disk drive electrically connected to the central processing unit. The disk drive may have an apparatus for mounting the disk drive to the chassis. The apparatus includes a bracket coupled to the chassis. The bracket may have a deformable element for engaging the disk drive. The apparatus may also have a slide member slidably coupled to the bracket. The slide member may have a surface for forcing the deformable element against a side of the disk drive to secure the disk drive in the bracket.
Still another embodiment of the invention is a method of mounting a disk drive to a chassis comprising the acts of: inserting a disk drive into a bracket that is coupled to a chassis; and sliding a slide member to force a deformable element of the bracket against the disk drive to secure the disk drive in the bracket.
Another embodiment of the invention is a method of removing a disk drive from a chassis comprising the acts of: sliding a slide member to release a portion of the bracket from contact with the disk drive; and removing the disk drive from the chassis